2003 Kia Sedona problems
Owners have filed 214 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Kia Sedona. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 14% of complaints. Next are brakes (14%) and air bags (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 214 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 15% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 14 and 26
- Injuries and deaths
- 25 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 45,000 miles 151 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 34 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 26 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 25 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 22 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 11 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 13 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 6 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 151 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 45,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 64,000 miles (23 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 14 complaints mention a crash; 26 complaints mention a fire; 25 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 88% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 5th most-complained-about out of 18 model years of the Kia Sedona with enough data (153 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
On april 23 2005 the front end of my 2003 kia sedona hit a ford explorer. This accident caused $9,000 in damage to my kia and sent myself, my husband, and my 2 year old daughter to the hospital. My airbags did not go off, and no one seemed to know why. I would like this investigated.
Upon impact the driver's side air bag did not deploy resulting in the driver hitting her face on the steering wheel. The driver suffered from multiple cuts inside her mouth, a fractured nose which caused shortness of breath and multiple bruises.
Driving a 2003 kia sedona approximately 35 MPH when a car made a left turn right in front of us. We hit them almost head on, then were thrown to the right, up over a curb and came to rest against a brick wall. My husband was driving, he sustained cuts to his forehead when he struck the windshield, and yes, we were both properly belted in. He also broke the steering wheel, leaving bruises on his chest.
Third time I am having my seat belt buckle replaced due to airbag lamp being on. They just keep replacing faulty part with another faulty part, this third time, only took two days for light to come back on. I have also been told in the meantime my airbags are inactive. This problem needs to be addressed and recalled, not just replaced. I do not feel safe.
Car has been huge headache bought new in 2003 has been towed twice for leaking coolant lines that rusted out. Last time was on vacation kia has not returned on phone call or e-mail as it cost me 300 dollars and car is under bumper to bumper warranty has 34k miles . Drivers door handle broke and airbag light was on fixed by dealer. One brake pad lining fell off at 25k miles replaced myself. Most important we had a rear tire blow out at 60 MPH in three lanes of traffic.